


i would not wish any companion in the world but you

by afteriwake



Series: Schoolyard Crush [3]
Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-15
Updated: 2012-10-15
Packaged: 2017-11-16 08:29:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/537494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It took him a bit of time, but he finally figured it out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i would not wish any companion in the world but you

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **ichihimefanfest** , as part of the “Schoolyard Crush” trilogy. This one was written for prompt #15 (Ichigo and Orihime have lunch alone together). Title is a quote from The Tempest by William Shakespeare.

He really thought about her words, harder than he'd thought about anything other than his studies. He didn't think he'd turn into a stalker like the girl she had mentioned, no, but he wondered if there was a point in having a crush on someone who was unattainable. Orihime had found fun in it, but he hadn't really found fun in his. Purpose, in a way, but not fun.

He found himself stuck on the fact that Orihime had a crush on someone else. He was happy that she did, but also mad at the idiot because he didn't notice her. She was sweet, kind, funny, smart and he liked being around her. And if she wanted to be happy with a guy then maybe he could give the guy a talking to. Not a stern one, or that might scare him off, but play up her good qualities. Everyone deserved some happiness, especially her.

So he did what he always did to find out about Orihime. He went to Tatsuki, and actually asked outright who Orihime had a crush on. The look on Tatsuki's face confused him, as did the peal after peal of laughter that spilled out of her mouth. She laughed so loud tears streamed down her face. When she finally stood up and wiped away the tears she grinned at him. “She likes _you_ ,you idiot! She's liked you for _years_. Wow, I thought you'd have realized this by now. You are such an idiot sometimes, you know that?”

He had no clue what the expression on his face must have been like, but Tatsuki slung an arm around his shoulder and pulled his ear closer to her mouth. “Look,” she said, taking pity on him. “You may be dumb, but the fact that you asked means you care about her happiness. So make her happy and talk to her, just the two of you, at lunch. I'll keep that goofball friend of ours out of your hair.” She paused. “Better yet, you guys go down where the girls usually eat. I'll round everyone up and we'll all eat on the roof today, okay?”

She let him go and then turned away, stopping after a few steps. “Oh, and Ichigo?” she said without turning around.

“Yeah?” he said, the first words he'd managed to wrap his tongue around since Tatsuki had started to laugh.

“You guys would make a cute couple, and I know you wouldn't hurt her. You wouldn't ever do anything to hurt her.” She turned. “So for your own sake, ask her out on a freaking date today, okay? It'll do you a world of good to go out with someone who loves you the way she does.”

He watched her go, and slowly he checked his thoughts out. He'd always thought she was just a friend. Maybe it had been because it would be easier, safer that way. If he saw her as more than a friend, he would do anything for her, do anything to keep her safe. And wouldn't that stifle her? If he really thought about it, he cared for her more than he cared for the rest of his friends. He knew that Ishida and Chad and, to an extent, Tatsuki could take care of themselves, even though he still worried about them. But she was different, special.

But then he thought back to the last few months. In the whole situation with Ginjou and Tsukishima, he remembered she'd trained to make her defensive shields absorb and fire back attacks. And there had been this new sense of calm, stability and internal toughness to her, too. Maybe he'd just been blind to the fact that she didn't need him to protect her all the time anymore. And if that was true...well, who knew? Maybe not needing to protect her meant he could loosen up and give her something that would make her truly happy, and didn't he really want that?

So three hours later he found it was just him and her siting under the tree, unwrapping their lunches, and she was humming quietly to herself. He recognized the song and smiled. It fit her well. He paused in his own act of getting ready to eat and just watched. Would it really be so bad to let go and just do something for himself? Because the more he thought about it the more he liked the idea of seeing her as something other than a friend.

“Kurosaki-kun? Is something wrong?”

He blinked and then vehemently shook his head. “No, nothing's wrong, Inoue. Just thinking.”

“About your crush?” she asked.

“Kind of, yeah,” he said. “I decided that having a crush on a teacher is kind of pointless.”

“Oh, that's too bad,” she said. “What made you decide that?”

“Well, there would never be anything coming of it,” he said with a shrug. “So I figured maybe it would be better if I focused on girls my own age. I kind of have my eye on one, actually.”

“Someone I know?” she asked.

“Yeah, you know her.”

“Oh, well, who? I mean, she'd be very lucky to date you, but...who is it?”

“Do you really want to know?” he asked with a grin.

“Yes, Kurosaki-kun, I'd like to know,” she said. She had a smile on her face but he could tell she looked kind of disappointed, and that just endeared him a little more.

“You,” he said quietly.

She let out an audible gasp and her hands flew to her mouth. “ _Me_?” she squeaked.

“Tatsuki said you liked me, and the more I thought about it the more I realized I really like you,” he said. “As more than a friend, I mean. And she told me I should ask you out, so...you want to go catch a movie this afternoon? I don't have to patrol until eight, so maybe we can get something to eat, too. If you want to, I mean.”

“Umm...umm...” she said, turning red. “Okay, Kurosaki-kun. Okay. A movie sounds good.”

He grinned and pulled her hands away from her mouth, and then shifted and sat closer to her. “What do you want to see?”

“Something with comedy!” she said. “I want to see you laugh and smile and have fun,” she said with a grin as her blush began to fade.

“We can go see something funny,” he said with a nod.

She looked at him and inched closer so their shoulders were touching. “And can we get ice cream later?”

“Yeah, we can do that,” he said with a nod.

“I never thought you'd say you liked _me_ ,” she said, turning to face him. She found her mouth inches away from his, and she ducked her head slightly. “I thought you'd never notice.”

“I just needed a push in the right direction,” he said, tilting her head up but backing away a little. “And a very informative story.”

“Oh, well, that's good,” she said, the blush coming back.

“Could I do something right now?” he asked quietly.

“What?” she asked just as softly.

“Kiss you,” he said.

“Oh. Umm. Okay. Yeah. I mean yes. Yes, you can kiss me.”

He leaned in and his lips touched her and he felt like something inside him would explode when she kissed him back. And at that point, they both completely forgot about their lunch, instead concentrating on making the moment last until they had to go back into class.


End file.
